Print

[ccarr]

Christmas 2009 Newsletter

Registered Charity No: SC038645
Mission International

2009 was a great year for Hope Centre in Burundi. Thank you all so much! Because of your support Hope Centre has become a reality with most of the original orphans now living in the three completed houses, with beds to sleep in, tables to eat at, and inside bathrooms. House number four is almost complete.

Pastor Leonard, the workers and the children of Hope Centre have also been very busy and have produced a healthy crop of vegetables as well as planting fruit trees and farming chickens.

Although life has improved greatly for these children, we are far from finished. Our immediate need is for funds to complete and furnish house four - for window glass and mesh, toilets, sinks and showers, beds, mattresses, tables and chairs. We would also like to build a more secure wall around the site to replace the woven mats and poles. Then it would be great if we could complete houses five and six. Even after all the houses are complete we hope to continue to address the needs of the local community by providing a clinic and vocational school, both of which are sorely needed in Gatumba.

So for 2010 I am asking you to consider whether you can possibly help some more. If you consider how much we in the west will have spent this Christmas and think about the fact that, in Burundi, the average yearly salary is only $100 or £62 (that's about $0.27 or £0.17 per day). I'm not asking you to give everything up and go to Africa (although I wouldn't stop you if you felt this is what you had to do). All I am asking is that you consider whether you can possibly continue to support the work in Burundi. Apart from the good that it will do for these people who live in extreme poverty, you will also have a feeling of satisfaction knowing that you have made a positive difference in someone else's lives.

The problem that we have here in the west (and I'm as guilty as anyone else) is the "out of sight, out of mind" mentality. Whether we see the needs and problems or not they still exist and it's you and I who have the responsibility to help address them. If you are interested in helping in some way then here are a few ways to help.

1. Firstly, all information and news about Hope Centre is updated regularly on the Hope Centre website so please visit it regularly. Here is the address:

        Hope Centre Website: http://www.HopeCentreBurundi.com

2. You can make an instant donation using PayPal or just using a credit card. Here is a quick link to the relevant page:

        Quick Donate: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/quick_donate.html
   
    or the 'GiftAid' option page:

        GiftAid Donate Option: http://www.HopeCentreBurundi.com/home/index.php?action=page;sa=giftaid

3. Fund raising events can be fun. Consider: Coffee Mornings, Car Boot Sales, Sponsored Cycle Runs or Walks, Making Calenders and saving up your loose change.
    Here some examples of what others have done:

        A Cafe: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php/topic,403.0.html

        Marathon Run: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php/topic,378.0.html

        Cycle Run: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=3

        Hunger Lunch: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php?topic=223.0

        Event Sponsorship Form: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php/topic,71.0.html

        Many More: http://www.mission-international.org/getInvolved.html

4. If you have a website then you can add our Code to your Home Page and direct visitors to the Hope Centre Website or to the Donations page.
    Here is the link to our code page with several options for you to choose from.

        Code Page: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php?action=page;sa=link_code

5. We have created business cards that you can download and print. This has the Hope Centre website address. These can be downloaded from here:

        Business Cards: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=27

6. Join a team. We are hoping to take a small team to Burundi in August 2010 to do further work on Hope Centre and work with the children. If you are interested in joining the team then please leave a message on the website or email us direct. We have now set-up a new page on the forum for you to discuss this visit or ask questions. Here is the direct link:

        2010 Burundi Visit: http://www.eulogia.co.uk/home/index.php/board,51.0.html

Thank you once again for all your support in 2009. I trust that 2010 will be great year for you all.

Many Blessings

Charles & Val Carr

6 Redwood Heights
Lancaster
LA1 3FG
Home: (01524) 847917
Mobile: 0780 5424 558

ccarr@hopecentreburundi.com